


oh, is it love?

by lethallen



Series: sing me something new [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 08:11:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14233017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethallen/pseuds/lethallen
Summary: Varric gives "the talk" to Dorian, which makes him reconsider his relationship with the Inquisitor.





	oh, is it love?

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a series I'm starting where I base fics off songs that remind me of Dorian and my Inquisitor, Elias Trevelyan, to make a mixtape type thing. This time around, it's "Oh, It Is Love" by Hellogoodbye!

It was late in the evening, and Dorian was deeply engrossed in a new book. Well, the book was new to him; it was actually ancient, a tome on the history of the Free Marches, including the genealogy of all the notable families. He had stumbled upon it doing some research about… Well, the Trevelyans, if he was being perfectly honest. Yes, he could have asked Elias point-blank the questions he had about him and his family, but there was a chance it could evolve into a conversation that he wasn’t ready for, something less fun and playful than their current norm. So, research it was.

He wasn’t expecting this research to be interrupted, especially not so late in the evening, so when he heard a voice saying his name, he practically jumped out of his skin.

“Kaffas!” He looked up to see Varric standing in front of him, expression amused as ever. He pressed a hand over his heart. “Maker, Varric, what are you sneaking about for?”

“I’d hardly call it sneaking, Sparkler. Just passing through. At a normal volume.” Varric eyed the book his hands, trying to catch a glimpse at the title. “What has you so engrossed? Certainly not one of my books.”

Dorian huffed, marking his page with a ribbon and setting it aside. “Certainly not. Simply research.” He looked at Varric with an appraising eye. The two weren’t exactly friends, not really. Varric had been less openly judgmental of him than most of the others, which was something, but they had very few conversations since they’d arrived in Skyhold. Regardless, Dorian was always on his guard with the other members of the Inquisition; there were too many who disliked him simply on principle, so he needed to stand at the ready.

“Did you need something, or were you just on an evening stroll?” he asked finally, quirking an eyebrow.

Varric uncrossed his arms and moved to lean against the wall. “Yeah, actually. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Something?”

“The Inquisitor.”

Dorian’s lips pursed. “Ah. One of those talks, then. I’m afraid you’ve been beaten to the punch. Multiple times over.” Ever since rumors had begun to spread of the… dalliance, flirtation, relationship, whatever it may have been between Elias and Dorian, people had been approaching him left and right with thinly-veiled threats of violence should he cross the Inquisitor. First Cassandra, then Blackwall, Leliana, and Vivienne. Josephine had even approached him, and though her threat was much more veiled, it was somehow even more frightening.

This wasn’t particularly surprising to Dorian. Though Elias didn’t (and couldn’t) make everyone happy all the time with his decisions as Inquisitor, he was well-loved, that much was clear. It was hard not to hold some level of affection for him; he was good, honest, kind to a fault. There was a syrup-y quality to his heart and an earnestness to his actions that made it difficult to dislike him, or even feel indifference toward him.

 Still, Dorian found that he was surprised that Varric, of all people, was involving himself. As much as he projected to the contrary, he seemed to know his place, which was generally far outside of the personal business of others. The unsolicited advice tended to come when he befriended someone and, as far as Dorian knew, they weren’t exactly friends.

"It’s not one of _those_ talks,” Varric replied, then paused, thinking it over. “Well, it kind of is. But I’m not going to threaten to drag you to the gallows if you hurt him.”

“No?”

“No. You’re a good person, and I know you wouldn’t mess with him on purpose.”

Dorian had to admit, he was a little startled by this. Not often did people accuse him of being a good person; it must have been something in the air at Skyhold. “I’m not sure I follow. What exactly is the nature of this talk?”

Varric sighed, giving a little shake of his head. “I just… Listen. You and I, we don’t talk much, especially not about personal stuff. But Eli and I, we talk a lot. So the only side of this I know is his. And normally I wouldn’t be… intruding on this stuff, but I know him, and he’ll roll over and take whatever you want to give if I don’t say something.”

Dorian’s brow was still furrowed; he wasn’t entirely sure where this was going. For once, he stayed quiet, waiting for Varric to continue.

“He’s crazy about you. Since the moment he saw you in the chantry, he’s been completely and utterly enamored. It’s like you put a spell on him or something.” Dorian leveled a look at him, and Varric chuckled. “Okay, yeah, poor choice of words. The point is, you’ve got power you don’t understand when it comes to him.”

Letting out a bark of a laugh, Dorian shook his head. “Me? Power? He has the world at his feet, everyone lining up to be with him, and you’re telling me that I have power?”

“He may have the world at his feet, but you have him at yours,” Varric replied, quieting Dorian. His expression sobered slightly, because, though he tried not to notice (considering it meant something more serious than Dorian thought he was prepared for), he knew that Varric was right. Elias was a puppy most of the time, but he turned into even more of one whenever Dorian was around.

Varric went on. “I’m not trying to lecture you or tell you what decisions to make. I know you’ll do what you think is best for him. For both of you. I just thought you should know, because I wasn’t sure you’d be able to see it yourself.”

Dorian was quiet for a moment, thoughtful, before looking up at Varric. “Thank you. This conversation has been… most enlightening.”

“Sure thing, Sparkler,” he said with a smile. “Just be careful. He’s a little softer to the world than we are.”

With that, Varric walked away, leaving Dorian to stare hard at his back as he left. He had known, of course, that Elias was interested, that he had a bit of a schoolboy crush. However, he hadn’t known it – or, more accurately, hadn’t wanted to acknowledge it – in the same context that Varric described. As if the Inquisitor was half in love with him already. The man had such a gentle heart and a naïve sense of optimism that was already beginning to be broken by his plights in the Inquisition. Dorian wasn’t sure if he was the man for this job, the man that could ease his suffering. God, he wanted to be, but how could he, the mess of broken parts that he was?

It couldn’t go on. That was what Varric was trying to say. Dorian was ill-equipped to take care of himself, let alone someone else. He had to end things before they got in too deep. That was the only way.

Setting his book to the side, Dorian made his way down the stairs and toward the main hall, checking to see if anyone was looking before slipping into the door that led to Elias’ quarters. It was late, but the man had been staying up recently, and the conversation was necessary before Dorian lost his nerve. When he reached the door, he took a deep breath, steeling himself before knocking thrice.

There was no answer. Dorian frowned. At this time of night, the Inquisitor would surely have retired to his quarters, but usually, he stayed up to read reports so he would be prepared for the next morning. Ever the dutiful servant. Quietly, Dorian opened the door and made his way up the stairs.

When he reached the top, he saw immediately why his knocks had gone unanswered. Elias sat at his desk, head resting on reports as he snored lightly. Fast asleep. Dorian looked at him, the ice he’d used to steel his heart melting like morning frost in the rising sun, and he was helpless.

All he wanted to do was take care of this man, to ease the burden that weighed him down. Maybe he wasn’t the best man for the job, but he was the man that Elias wanted, and he would do his damnedest to make sure he gave him everything he could. All of it.

Was this what being in love felt like? It could have been worse, he supposed, though the thought made his stomach drop.

Dorian quietly made his way over to Elias’ desk, running a gentle hand through the man’s hair. “Amatus, my darling, wake up.”

It took a little bit of gentle prodding before Elias’ eyes opened, lashes fluttering before blue irises shifted to look up at him. Dorian felt his heart leap in his throat. A rather fetching pair, he’d told Elias once. The understatement of the age.

“Dorian,” he said groggily, lifting his head and rubbing his eyes like a toddler. “What are you doing here? Is something the matter?”

Dorian had forgotten his original purpose until that moment, and he swallowed before giving a smile and small shake of his head. “No, nothing. I just wanted to see you. But it’s time for you to go to sleep.”

“No, no, I have to finish looking over these reports or Cullen will have my head.” But as he said it, his eyelids drooped and he struggled to keep them open.

“Oh, please. Cullen is a push-over. One strong wind and a pair of puppy eyes will knock him down. Besides, the Inquisition can’t run if the Inquisitor isn’t taking care of himself,” Dorian pointed out, gently taking Elias’ arm and tugging him up. “Come, it’s time for bed.”

Elias looked like he wanted to protest, but after a moment, he smiled. “Eager to get me into bed?” he asked, grogginess still in his voice. It made him sound impossibly more endearing, and Dorian laughed, a lighter sound than he was used to.

“Always. But I’m afraid just for sleeping this time.”

Elias let out a hum that was rather disapproving, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he stripped until he was in his smallclothes, and Dorian pulled the covers back for him so he could climb in.

“Goodnight, amatus,” he said, pressing a soft kiss to the man’s lips. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He started to move away but then felt a hand gripping his wrist. He turned back to see those big, blue eyes trained on him, and he melted. “Stay?” Realizing what he was asking, Elias cleared his throat and dropped his hand. “I mean, if you’d like. I understand if you’d prefer to sleep in your own quarters.”

Dorian looked at him for a moment, smiling, before beginning to strip to his smallclothes. “I don’t know. You have a significantly more lavish set up than I. Is this what being concubine to the Inquisitor gets me?”

Elias laughed, expression warm, and it made everything worth it. He made room as Dorian climbed into bed with him, and they moved closer, pressing their foreheads together.

“Am I going crazy, or are you different tonight?” Elias asked, reaching up to press his hand to Dorian’s face. His thumb moved back and forth over his cheek. “You seem… I’m not sure. Softer.”

Letting out a quiet hum, Dorian turned his head to press a kiss to Elias’ palm. “You’re mistaken. I’m just as hard as ever,” he replied, a playful sparkle in his eyes. It made Elias laugh, and that was what was important.

“Of course,” he replied, leaning in to kiss him softly. He turned over in Dorian’s arms until they were pressed back to front, Dorian’s arms secured around him. “Goodnight, darling.”

Dorian pressed a kiss to the back of Elias’ neck, lingering there. This was what he wanted to be, a secure, safe place. A refuge for Elias’ tired heart. He could only hope he would offer half as much solace to Elias as Elias did him.  “Goodnight, amatus.”


End file.
